It’s Our Choice: Empty, Half-Full, or Full Glass Attitude

I raised a couple of teenagers and have helped take care of those grown-up teenagers’ teenagers. I know well that they go through all spectrums of emotions at any given time. One day they’re optimistic and in a good mood. The next day they can ‘tudes that put a damper on their day and ours! We all know those mood swings because we were once teenagers.

I remember me. I’ll admit, I regret those times when I was less than grateful. Oh, how precious was my mother as she navigated me, single-handedly, through those rough waters of boyfriend troubles and school and test troubles – all that seemed so insurmountable – but they all came and passed – literally. I married the boyfriend and successfully passed the tests and graduated. And, what was once a half-empty perspective, is now a full glass today.

We made it through another year – and while there were troubles and concerns throughout it, I’ll bet we can find a lot more to be grateful for than those things that were on the negative side of the column. I’m already praying that God makes this new year one that we remember to daily express gratitude for His goodness and mercy that keeps us strong, healthy, with lots of good food on our tables, being able to be God’s hand extended to so many around us, receiving protection in the midst of storms and accidents, laughter in the midst of tough times, and security and peace in abundance. We are so blessed.

It’s easy to have a HALF EMPTY glass attitude if we allow the negative to overtake our thoughts. My blog from Cabo yesterday held within it, photos of the oh, so good times we had. I told you about oldest grandson, Braden, losing his wallet when he was going through customs in Cabo, but didn’t show photos of him having to make calls to cancel his credit cards. We didn’t see him all sad and negative about the loss. That’s because he wasn’t sad and negative. He kept a positive attitude and even expressed that he hoped the money in it would bless someone.

You also didn’t see this photo from Monday (because I knew it would be a blog today). Here is Braden AFTER we got a phone call from American Airlines notifying that they found his wallet – completely intact – money included. When we were checking in for our flight home, the attendant handed Braden that wallet. How’s that for a FULL glass of gratitude and attitude?

I hope that this year I take deep breaths of gratitude every day. No doubt, I’ll miss the boat many times, but I hope that I will, first and foremost, be a glass, not just half full, but full of optimism, gratitude, and hope. Each morning we can wake up with the need for a cup of coffee to get us in that “full glass” mode. Or, we can go to our Source of life, peace, joy, hope and love and FULL UP with an “all things are possible with God” attitude. We can get up on the RIGHT side of the bed saying “This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it!” (Psalm 118:24)

We can look in the mirror and declare “You are looking good. You are filled with the goodness of God and quite frankly, He looks good on you!” We can BE the light that brightens the room and the catalyst for helping others to desire a full glass of awesomeness too!

Daily, being a “full glass” of optimism and gratitude takes discipline. It requires a shift in thinking from “woe is me” to “joy is me”. It means releasing despair and embracing hope. Hope can inspire gratitude for what is and what will be. It is an everyday commitment to push through the doubts and worry to declaring: “Something good is going to happen to me today!

“May the God of hope fill you (a glass FULL) with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13).